Josh Papalii's ankle injury jeopardizes his participation in Canberra Raiders' final against Brisbane.
The Canberra Raiders face a significant setback ahead of their qualifying final against the Broncos as veteran Josh Papalii is racing against time to recover from a severe ankle injury sustained at training. The injury reportedly occurred during a scrimmage on Friday, necessitating assistance to remove Papalii from the field.
Since the injury, the 33-year-old has been in a moon boot, and the team's hopes hinge on his recovery for Sunday's match against Brisbane. Earlier, Papalii was among ten players rested by coach Ricky Stuart during Canberra's recent loss to the Dolphins. As a precaution, he will be inactive in training leading up to Saturday's captain's run.
If Papalii is unable to participate, Stuart has the option of calling on Trey Mooney or Matty Nicholson. Nicholson, who displayed exceptional form before an ankle injury, has been waiting in reserve grade since his return last month.